Answers to Multiple-Choice Questions

Cambridge Geography for the IB Diploma: Patterns and Change

Answers to multiple-choice questions

The correct answer to each question is shown in bold font.

Section 3: Patterns in environmental quality and sustainability

1 The radiant energy emitted from the Sun is termed:

A longwave radiation

B convection

C insolation

D transmission

2 The point at which the damage caused to global systems by climate change becomes irreversible is known as the:

A tipping point

B balance point

C global warming point

D crucial point

3 The quantity of heat absorbed or released by a substance undergoing a change of state is called:

A sensible heat

B ground heat

C converted heat

D latent heat

4 The proportion of solar energy reflected from the Earth back into space is the Earth’s:

A reflection ratio

B albedo

C energy loss

D energy balance

5 The lowest layer of the atmosphere is the:

A stratosphere

B mesosphere

C troposphere

D thermosphere

6 The transfer of heat by the movement of a gas or a liquid is:

A convection

B conduction

C radiation

D condensation

7 Globally it is estimated that how many billion hectares of soil resources have been degraded?

A 1

B 2

C 3

D 4

8 The concentration of abnormally high levels of salts in soils due to evaporation is known as:

A acidification

B salinisation

C aggregation

D buffering

9 What proportion of the population in rural Sub-Saharan Africa is reliant on agriculture as a source of income and employment?

A 80%

B 70%

C 60%

D 50%

10 Irrigated farming accounts for what proportion of global annual water consumption?

A 40%

B 50%

C 60%

D 70%

11 Which world region faces the most serious water supply problems?

A the Middle East and North Africa

B South and Central America

C North America

D Europe

12 Precipitation absorbed by soil and plants, then released back into the air, is called:

A blue water

B green water

C grey water

D yellow water

13 A country is judged to experience water stress when water supply is below how many cubic metres per person per year?

A 1300

B 1500

C 1700

D 1900

14 Water that is free from impurities is called:

A potable water

B portable water

C pure water

D passable water

15 The amount of water that is used to produce food or any other item and is thus essentially ‘embedded’ in the item is known as:

A realistic water

B virtual water

C contained water

D silent water

16 Vadodara is the largest city in the Indian state of:

A Gujarat

B Bihar

C Tamil Nadu

D Karnataka

17 The term for when species are restricted to a single region is:

A isolationism

B singularness

C uniqueness

D endemism

18 A biome is a:

A naturally occurring organic community of plants and animals

B river system

C biodiversity hotspot

D major soil type

19 The world’s largest area of rainforest is in:

A Indonesia

B Brazil

C Colombia

D Malaysia

20 The Amazon holds carbon stocks of about:

A 20 billion tonnes

B 50 billion tonnes

C 90 billion tonnes

D 120 billion tonnes

21 The Amazon basin has an annual rainfall of approximately:

A 1000 mm

B 2000 mm

C 3000 mm

D 4000 mm

22 Most of the Amazon basin has acid soils known as:

A latosols

B podsols

C terra rossa

D brown earths

23 The environmental impact caused by an individual tourist on holiday in a particular location is known as the:

A individual footprint

B tourist footprint

C destination footprint

D location footprint

24 The scenario for future patterns of production and consumption which assumes that there will be no major changes in attitudes and priorities is:

A no change

B business-as-usual

C median line

D present approach

25 The world’s first National Park, designated in 1872, was:

A Yosemite

B Yellowstone

C Great Smoky Mountains

D Grand Canyon

26 Approximately what proportion of the world’s land area is covered by national protection schemes?

A 2%

B 12%

C 18%

D 25%

27 New technologies that aim to conserve the natural environment and resources are known as:

A blue technologies

B eco-technologies

C green technologies

D biotic technologies

28 The Maasai Mara National Reserve is in:

A Uganda

B Tanzania

C South Africa

D Kenya

29 The capital city of Namibia is:

A Windhoek

B Luanda

C Lusaka

D Gaborone

30 Which of the following crosses Namibia?

A the Equator

B the Tropic of Cancer

C 50 degrees South

D the Tropic of Capricorn

31 Approximately what proportion of Namibia’s population lives below the international poverty line?

A 20%

B 30%

C 40%

D 50%

32 When did Namibia’s Communal Conservancy Programme begin?

A 1986

B 1991

C 1996

D 2001

33 What proportion of the land area of Namibia does the Conservancy Programme cover?

A 4%

B 14%

C 24%

D 34%

34 The Communal Conservancy Programme was extended in 2001 to encompass community:

A coastal zones

B forests

C grasslands

D deserts

35 Expanding effective programs to reach larger numbers of people in a broader geographical area is known as the:

A expansion process

B scaling-up process

C extension process

D widening-out process